Labour frontbench backing Miliband

Labour frontbenchers have today come out in support of leader Ed Miliband, crediting him for turning the party's fortunes around since the 2010 General Election.

Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint dismissed suggestions that Mr Miliband was seen as too "weird" to become Prime Minister, saying his "authenticity" was one of his major assets.

Speaking on BBC One's Sunday Politics, she said: " Ed is part of Labour's success, definitely, in the last few years."

Ms Flint said it was "ridiculous" that 13% of people saw him as weird, saying that when it comes down to a vote, people would be more concerned about the cost of living crisis.

She said: "To be fair to Ed, Ed is not a politician who says: 'Do you know what? I'm down with the Arctic Monkeys, I know who's number one.'

"He doesn't try to play that game. He goes on Desert Island Discs and says he likes A-ha. He's not out there to try and portray himself as someone that's down with the kids, 'I know everything about popular culture'; he is who he is, and authenticity is the most important."

Meanwhile, shadow international development secretary Jim Murphy brushed off a report suggesting that Yvette Cooper and Andy Burnham were being positioned as a "dream team" to replace Mr Miliband in the event of Labour losing next year's election.

The Sun on Sunday quoted "senior sources" as claiming both the shadow home secretary and shadow health secretary would stand in a leadership election in the expectation that Mr Burnham would lose, and then be signed up as Ms Cooper's deputy, while Ms Cooper's husband Ed Balls would stand aside.

The East Renfrewshire MP - who was demoted from the defence brief when Mr Miliband reshuffled his frontbench team last year - said Labour's leader had been successful in preventing the party tearing itself apart after the 2010 election defeat.

"Ed Miliband has delivered a united Labour Party which is unlike all the historical experience of the Labour Party, where we usually form a circular firing squad against each other when we lose an election," said Mr Murphy.

"We have come together and we are determined to work together to get rid of what is often a pretty chaotic Government. I'm determined that we can do that and I'm sure that with the right amount and the right balance of policies that we are now working on, that's indeed what we will do.

"This isn't about me or any other character. The country does need change.

"There is a sense of frustration ... a lot of people who are working very hard, who abide by the rules, who get up in the morning and go to work to care for their families, the big question in their minds is: are they better off at the next election than they were at the last election?"

Referring to the Prime Minister's defence of Culture Secretary Maria Miller after she repaid over-claimed expenses, Mr Murphy said: "I wish David Cameron would put as much effort into fighting for the living standards and jobs of everyday people as he does for his Cabinet ministers."

In a Populus poll for BBC's Daily Politics and the World at One programmes last week, Mr Miliband was viewed as out of his depth by 27% of people, while 24% saw him as weak, and 17% as out of touch.

Comments

They are all as evil has this Marxist bred Immigrant, LABOUR, wake up and stop them Brainwashing you all still, vote UKIP get our Country back under British Control....

They are all as evil has this Marxist bred Immigrant, LABOUR, wake up and stop them Brainwashing you all still, vote UKIP get our Country back under British Control....welshmen

They are all as evil has this Marxist bred Immigrant, LABOUR, wake up and stop them Brainwashing you all still, vote UKIP get our Country back under British Control....

Score: -2

bmoc55
3:37pm Sun 6 Apr 14

So they back Milliband!! So what, there's nobody else to choose from out of this sorry Labour bunch.

So they back Milliband!! So what, there's nobody else to choose from out of this sorry Labour bunch.bmoc55

So they back Milliband!! So what, there's nobody else to choose from out of this sorry Labour bunch.

Score: 1

MSG
3:54pm Sun 6 Apr 14

Thank goodness they are going to keep him into the next election. He is an easy target for the opposition when the going gets tough near both major elections this year and next.

Farage smashed the coalition representative to bits, if only he could get hold of this piece of easy meat to maul him too !!

Thank goodness they are going to keep him into the next election. He is an easy target for the opposition when the going gets tough near both major elections this year and next.
Farage smashed the coalition representative to bits, if only he could get hold of this piece of easy meat to maul him too !!MSG

Thank goodness they are going to keep him into the next election. He is an easy target for the opposition when the going gets tough near both major elections this year and next.

Farage smashed the coalition representative to bits, if only he could get hold of this piece of easy meat to maul him too !!

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